County announces sandbag locations, just in case

The East Fork of the Carson River ran high on Thursday as heavy rain fell through the day.Brad Coman

SANDBAG FILL SITES

Sheridan Fire Station

980 Sheridan Lane

Genoa Fire Station

2298 Main Street

Jacks Valley Fire Station

3450 Jacks Valley Road

Ruhenstroth Fire Station

2008 Pinto Circle

Topaz Ranch Estates Community Center

4001 Carter Drive

Johnson Lane Fire Station

1450 Stephanie Lane

Fish Springs Fire Station

2249 Fish Springs Road

East Fork Fire District Warehouse

941 Mitch Drive

Zephyr Cove Park

Hwy 50/Warrior Way

With more than a third of an inch of rain falling in Genoa this morning, there’s a chance of small stream flooding, particurly after the weekend’s heavy snowfall.

Douglas County announced sandbag fill sites for residents who want to shore up their defences against rising waters on Wednesday morning.

Weather forecasters said while flooding along the Carson and Walker rivers was unlikely, homes along small streams and places where there was still snow could see some high water.

“Everything we are hearing is no concern to the mainstream rivers but the chance for small stream and canyon issues with rain washing the snow off,” East Fork Fire Deputy Chief Dave Fogerson said on Wednesday. “We do have sand bags in our typical places and are monitoring the weather and conditions. We could see impacts in Mono on the Slinkard burn scar.” Daggett Creek just south of Genoa was up to 4.5 feet per second or twice its average flow of 2.1 feet.

Its maximum flow in 2017 was 5.7 feet per second, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Sierra and Genoa creeks appeared to be flowing normally on Wednesday morning.

A flood watch has been issued for the greater Lake Tahoe area below 7,000 feet by the National Weather Service.

Up to 3 inches of rain are possible around the Tahoe Basin, causing increased runoff and localized flooding along small creeks and streams, and in poor drainage areas.

With expected heavy rains in the forecast, the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources’ Division of Water Resources is encouraging residents to visit nevadafloods.org to find out what to do before, during and after a flood.

Basic Safety Tips include:

Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.

Do not drive over bridges that are over fast-moving floodwaters. Floodwaters can damage foundations, making the bridge unstable.

Just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.

Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.